Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Eternal Love" by AVTT/PTTN (The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton):  Did you ever think that a member of a rock group as heavy as Faith No More would get together with a group as roots-y and bluegrass-y as The Avett Brothers?! Well, now they have!! The song is mostly in the Avetts' direction of bittersweet bluegrass-rock, but the surprise synth solo in the middle is likely Patton's idea. The Avetts have done plenty of reflective songs, but it's a fresh new road for Mike Patton. The coolest part?! It works wonderfully for him! Well, for both of them, really. Such a reassuring song for these increasingly dark times! "Loser" by Tame Impala:  Not to be confused with the Beck song of the same name, Tame Impala's "Loser" is an interesting tune. It takes Tame Impala in a new direction with a fresh funk-rock sound! The song's sound is somewhat reminiscent of "Fame" by David Bowie. Beneath the song's funky heartbeat l...

 here they are: "Bells and Whistles" by Bright Eyes:  Hard to believe Bright Eyes have now been around for over 20 years, but it's true! The Wilco-esque sound of their latest song, the bluesy and boozy piano-dominated "Bells and Whistles," is not entirely out of character for them either, and it could easily be mistaken for a Bright Eyes song from a decade or two prior! Beneath the song's jaunty sound, Conor Oberst is actually trying to tell a tale about how things that seem trivial one moment can end up being a huge part of your life the next. I feel like I've been there before quite a few times myself, so I think I can relate to this song. The ending of the song is interesting, with the piano, guitar, and brass all in drunken yet coherent harmony with one another. "Big Time Nothing" by St. Vincent:  The surprisingly dark (even by St. Vincent standards) sounds of "Broken Man" from earlier this year were shocking yet appealing to me. ...

 here they are: "All in Good Time" by Iron & Wine (featuring Fiona Apple):  Perhaps the first Iron & Wine song that focuses more on piano than guitar (at least initially), "All in Good Time" is an endearing, sweet duet between the folk-rock songsmith and the piano-based feminist alt-rocker. Though I've never known the two to have a romantic connection with one another, this does seem like a romance song. It seems to talk about how through thick and thin, Fiona and Sam (Iron & Wine) have survived it all and that they'll always be there for one another. How sweet! "Keep Going" by Guster:  After four years, indie-folk-pop/rock sensations, Guster, have released yet another album with a lead single that focuses more on synth than guitar. Unlike the goofy tones of their previous single, "Overexcited," "Keep Going" goes in the more sweet, mellow path that Guster are known for. "Keep Going" is more of an atmospheri...